(NEXSTAR) – You may have managed to dodge the dreaded rashes often associated with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, ...

Poison ivy, along with poison oak and poison sumac, has an oily coating called urushiol, which often causes redness, swelling ...

Poison sumac plants tend to do the opposite; they can grow outside swamps but do like those swampy areas better. That said, if you're still not sure what you're dealing with, don't touch it.

Cortizone 10 cream or ointment is one of the most common home remedies for poison ivy. While it can help tame the itch, it doesn't clear urushiol from the skin. “This product, a 1% ...

Contact with anything that touched the poison ivy, oak or sumac can cause a rash within 12 to 72 hours. These include pets, clothes, tools, shoes or a hiking backpack.

Another poison ivy relative, poison sumac is a flowering shrub or woody plant that contains the same oil. However, it is considered more allergenic as it results in a very inflamed, painful, and ...

If you've never received a rash from poison oak, ivy or sumac, the rash could last 21 days or longer. If you have had the rash previously, it will last one to 14 days.

If you've never received a rash from poison oak, ivy or sumac, the rash could last 21 days or longer. If you have had the rash previously, it will last one to 14 days.

Scrub good. There is no cure for poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. An antihistamine can lessen the itching as can calamine lotion or a hydrocortisone cream. Aloe vera is also good.

Meanwhile, poison sumac looks different because it has clusters of seven to 13 smooth leaflets arraigned in pairs. It grows as a tree, and when fully grown, it can reach up to 20 feet tall.

The staghorn sumac is a sensory delight, from its toothed leaf edges to its fuzzy fruit and young stems. Though it is related to poison sumac, a staghorn can be handled without fear.

The rash caused by poison ivy, oak and sumac is the direct result of contact with an oily toxicant within the plant. The plant must be crushed or broken to release these oils.